Official

What makes something official?

I have Fox & Friends on.  They tout themselves as the Official Morning Show of the 2008 Campaign or something similar.  Um, yeah.  Whatever.  Where did they go to get that designation?

Groundspeak claims Geocaching.com is The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site.

I know the NFL sells official designations.  For a fee, one can be the Official Hemorrhoid of the Big Game, or something like that.  Major League Baseball and the Olympics do it too.

Official in those cases at least represent something (paying a fee for recognition).  What does it mean when Fox News uses it like it has?  Isn’t it a hollow claim?  And if so, why make it?

It would seem that businesses and groups that use the official tag are doing so to pump themselves up.  In other words to be more than it would be to not be official.

Groundspeak is such a case.  For years it claims it is merely a listing service for geocaches.  Sure, it sets the rules for listing caches on its site, but it denies it is ruling the game.

The Merriam-Webster definition of official is:

one who administers the rules of a game or sport especially as a referee or umpire

That doesn’t sound like merely a listing service.

I just find it interesting when groups attempt to hoodwink customers.  I think I’ll try that out.  eCache is now the:

  • Official Blog of Truth, Justice, and the American Way
  • Official Blog of Righteousness
  • Official Blog of Buick
  • South Jersey’s Official Blog

Oh, I’ll come up with something . . . official.

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